Birdbath
by claraoswalds
Summary: It's the day after the Final Battle, and six of the survivors come together to talk, dream, and of course, snog. - HarryGinny - RonHermione


Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me

**Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me. JKR owns everything. Remember that, so we don't have to keep putting these stupid disclaimers on every fic. **_And italics is Harry's thoughts._

_What is right and what is easy……_Harry Potter chuckled humorlessly as his black boots paced easily over the dewy grass, bespectacled green eyes fixed firmly on the white tomb stretching ahead of him. His right hand played with his holly wand while the left clutched the elder wand tightly.

_And if what is right is also easy? _Harry thought, his grin vanishing as the tomb opened, revealing the white-haired body of his old, and favorite, headmaster. Albus Dumbledore's arms were still crossed as they had been when he was laid, but something very important was missing.

Gently, reverently, Harry knelt down and slid the elder wand into Dumbledore's wizened hands. He blinked once, just to take in the peaceful sight, and how the body would lay forever more, before backing away. The tomb resealed itself. With a smile that contained a strange mixture of sorrow and elation, Harry walked away.

_In that case, I suppose we just get lucky. _He stopped a good distance away from the grave. In front of him was a simple little birdbath. His smile became fond as a rush of memories came forth. Discussing Nicolas Flamel, the heir of Slytherin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, Hogsmeade, Marauders, Triwizard Tournament, Dolores Umbridge, Department Of Mysteries, the prophecy, the Half-Blood Prince, everything.

There were, he had noticed, very little actual birds here. Some stray bluebirds and swallows flew past sporadically, but for the most part, the trio and their friends were left alone here, to talk about whatever new problems they came across.

_And weren't there so many of those,_ remembered Harry, perching himself on the outermost ring. The gentle trickle of water was strangely relaxing. Closing his eyes, Harry allowed himself to be lost in dreams for the future and memories of the past.

"Oi! Harry!" He opened his eyes, grinning at the familiar voice. A lanky, redheaded figure made its way towards him.

"What're you doing out here, mate? Hermione would have worked up a tizzy if she was awake!" Ron Weasley said, blue eyes flashing in recognition of the birdbath.

"Hermione's not up yet?" Harry asked, surprised. "I was just…returning it." The emphasis on the last word was enough to trigger Ron's memory and the redhead nodded before hopping up onto Harry's right.

"So—reminiscing or daydreaming?" Ron asked knowingly.

"Both, I suppose," answered his best friend. "Do you know what you're going to do now? 'Cause I don't. It's like Voldemort was this giant obstacle in my path and now that he's gone, well, there's nothing but emptiness." Ron snorted.

"Nothing but emptiness? Mate, look around you. You've got me, Hermione, my parents, all of my brothers—and sister," said Ron, deliberately stressing the last two words. Harry's eyes snapped to his friend's.

"Sister—I thought you said…" Harry paused and Ron rolled his eyes.

"We're not exactly in danger of our lives now, are we? I think it's safe to start dating again." Harry shot the redhead a smirk.

"And would you think it's 'safe to start dating again' if Hermione hadn't kissed you?" Predictably, Ron's ears began glowing red. Harry chuckled, but didn't get the chance to respond, because a new voice, belonging to an easily identifiable blond girl wearing a butterbeer cork necklace and radish earrings, interrupted.

"You've also got Teddy," reminded Luna Lovegood softly. Harry sat bolt upright.

"Teddy!" He cried, chagrined at almost forgetting his godson. Luna neatly seated herself on Ron's other side after patting Harry's arm.

"Don't worry, Harry, Mrs. Tonks has him. She come this afternoon, holding Teddy and crying. His hair was yellow, sunshine yellow. I think that means he's happy. She's been taking good care of him." Harry breathed a sigh of relief. So his godson hadn't been abandoned as he had—Teddy still had his grandmother.

"Of course she'd take good care of Teddy," murmured Ron, smiling, a bit sadly. "He's the only link she has to her husband and daughter." Harry nodded mutely, his attention fixed on the witch hurrying across the grounds to meet them.

"Your girlfriend's here, Ronald," informed Luna calmly, even though she probably couldn't get a good view of Hermione. Ron blushed, but didn't deny it. Hermione skidded to a stop in front of Harry and glared.

"Harry Potter, where on Earth did you run off to?" She demanded, hands on hip. Harry grinned at the strange, but striking, resemblance to Mrs. Weasley—_Then again, if everything goes right, she will be Mrs. Weasley_—and waved his wand at her. Her mouth formed an "Oh," though she did not express it out loud. Instead, she jumped up in between Ron and Harry, the latter of whom moved obediently out of the way.

"So, how are things going with the—with the deaths?" Harry asked quietly There was a small silence until Hermione spoke up.

"Not bad. They've got all of the bodies removed from the grounds, even Snape's, Harry, and most of the blood stains have been removed, and the wands picked up," answered Hermione, looking down at her feet. Harry could see what she meant be 'most of'—there was a very visible patch of crimson-soaked grass beneath Hermione. He inhaled sharply, wondering briefly whose blood was that, and hoping desperately that it was a Death Eaters, and not one of his friends.

"How many casualties?" Ron asked. Luna answered him.

"Fifty-five, including Professor Snape," said the blond, swinging her feet absently. Ron sighed, and this silence stretched longer. It was broken by the bruised, battered, but smiling form of Neville Longbottom.

"Hey!" He called as he approached them. "Everyone's wondering where you guys got off too! You missed the reporters," informed Neville, nodding in greeting to everyone as he seated himself besides Luna, directly behind Harry.

"Thank Merlin," said Ron fervently and Harry grinned.

"Was Rita Skeeter there?" He asked. Neville made a face.

"Of course, and there wasn't a single scratch on her. At least, not until Ginny tripped her on top of Crookshanks—you should have seen it, it was bloody brilliant!"

"Language, Neville," said Hermione, but she was smiling, probably at the thought of her beloved cat scratching Rita Skeeter. Ron and Harry both laughed loudly and both girls dissolved into giggles—apparently, even Luna didn't like Rita Skeeter all that much.

"So, Harry," began Neville, serious once more. "You never told me why the snake had to be killed." Luna's head tilted, though she did not turn to face him, as Neville had done. Hermione and Ron both shot Harry looks and he shrugged.

"You do deserve to know, all things considering," muttered Harry, before proceeding to tell the entire story to an awed Neville and Luna. The prophecy, the Horcruxes, and the Deathly Hallows. Nothing was left out. They were two of his closest friends, after all.

When he was finished, a different, but welcome, voice spoke up. "So that's why you walked right past me to meet your death?" Harry's head snapped around to meet the exhausted, but sparkling brown eyes of the girl he loved. He felt a wide smile break out on his face.

"Ginny!" Ginny Weasley, her scarlet ponytail swinging, calmly clambered up onto the birdbath, right next to her ex-boyfriend—_not for long though…_

"Would either you or Ron mind if I kissed you senseless right now?" Harry asked her frankly. He was in no mood to play the game Ron and Hermione had been playing for the past seven years. Ron made a noise, but didn't protest. Neville and Luna respectfully looked away as Ginny eyed him brazenly. Hermione leaned her head onto Ron's shoulder.

"Normally, Potter, I'd respond with some sarcastic, flirtatious comment, but I don't particularly care to right now. I've been waiting far, far too long." And without a second thought, Ginny clamped her lips firmly on his.

When they pulled apart, everyone was still in the same position they had been a moment earlier. Luna gazed dreamily at the passing clouds, Neville stared out in the distance, at what was once a battlefield and hopefully never would be again. Hermione's eyes were now closed, though she was not asleep, and Ron's arm was wrapped around her shoulders. Ginny smiled up at Harry and curled up into his side.

Harry kissed his girlfriend's temple, and then smiled up at the sky, and at the blazing sun he—and his best friends—had lived to see. The group that was currently situated in a perfect circle around that lonesome birdbath would come to be known as some of the greatest heroes in all of history.

But for now, they were just best friends, who had been together through thick and thin, and sat in silence around a simple birdbath, remembering the hard-won battles and lost comrades, and dreaming of the looming future, complete with each other.

**Author's Notes: Wow, that was a bit of a long one-shot, huh? But I really wanted to do something with this group of friends, as they were the ones who fought in the Department of Mysteries, and I think that would bond them in a really special way. Why the birdbath? Just because. It's in the movies, at least the first one, if you remember. Anyways, please review and tell me what you think! Thank you!**


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